The movie "The Burning of the Yuanmingyuan" takes the historical background of the burning of the Yuanmingyuan by the British and French forces, and tells the story of how Cixi grew up from an unnoticed young girl to become the favorite consort of Emperor Xianfeng.
Cixi, the consort of Emperor Xianfeng, was beautiful and intelligent in appearance. She entered the palace at the age of 17 and designed to gain the favor of Emperor Xianfeng. Afterwards, Cixi was named Yi Guifei because she gave birth to a son, Zai Chun, and her status in the palace was already similar to that of the empress. When the British and French allied forces pushed straight to Beijing, Cixi took the opportunity to intervene in political affairs and put forward the idea of war with the British and French allied forces. After the defeat of the Qing soldiers, Cixi along with the Xianfeng Emperor to avoid the Jehol.
Reigns, the 9th emperor of the Qing Dynasty, was Cixi's husband. He was attracted to Cixi's haunting, mournful ditty and went on to favor her. When the British and French allied forces invaded, Reigns adopted Cixi's idea and ordered Prince Singh to lead the troops to defend against the enemy. After the defeat of the Qing troops, Xianfeng fled to the Jehol Palace. In the Jehol Palace, he ignored the government, the whole day to find pleasure.
Ci'an, Manchuria, the yellow flag people, Guangxi right river road, third-class Prince Nuhu - Muyanga's daughter, the empress of the Qing dynasty, virtuous and dignified, calm and introverted. Although Ci'an had been married to Emperor Xianfeng for many years, she never became pregnant. She visited Cixi when she was pregnant and in labor.
Yi Xin, a politician in the late Qing Dynasty, one of the twelve Iron Hat Kings of the Qing Dynasty, and half-brother of Emperor Xianfeng. After the Qing soldiers lost to the British and French allies, he was ordered to stay in Beijing to negotiate with the foreigners.
Extended Information
The Burning of the Yuanmingyuan (火烧圆明园), a historical film co-produced by New Kunlun Pictures Ltd. and the China Film Co-operation Production Company, was directed by Li Hanxiang and starred Liu Xiaoqing, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Chen Ye, and Zhang Tielin, etc. The film was premiered in Hong Kong on September 21, 1983; in the same year, the film received the Ministry of Culture's Special Award for Outstanding Movie.
The Burning of the Yuanmingyuan originally starred Zhang Jinling as Cixi and Liu Xiaoqing as Cian. But Zhang Jinling gave up her chance to play Cixi because she was pregnant, so the role of Cixi was changed to Liu Xiaoqing. Director Li Hanxiang chose Leung to play the male lead in the movie because of his resemblance to Emperor Xianfeng. Zhou Jie, who played the role of Concubine Li in the movie, didn't attend the audition for "Burning of the Yuanmingyuan", but she danced a little bit in director Li Hanxiang's editing car, and Li Hanxiang decided that Zhou Jie would play the role of Concubine Li.
"Burning of the Yuanmingyuan" in mainland China during the shooting, the relevant departments to cooperate fully, and for the first time to open the Imperial Palace of the Imperial City of the scene for the film to provide shooting scenes to facilitate the film, the film of the hundred officials in the court, the military aircraft to discuss politics, Mulan autumn hunting, the Yuanmingyuan remnants of the wall are all on the ground in kind to show. In addition, in order to shoot the scenes of the Yuanmingyuan, director Li Hanxiang also persuaded the new Kunlun film company, spent 640,000 yuan in Beijing Changping to build a simulation of the Yuanmingyuan location, and in the end of the shooting with a fire burned down.
Baidu Encyclopedia - "The Burning of the Yuanmingyuan"